Podcast 301

American Sniper. Updates for Monday morning include a review of American Sniper. What’s all the fuss about? Director Clint Eastwood says he dismayed by the controversy — most of which is being generated by Hollywood — over his movie, which he says portrays one man’s experience in war. Is it possible American Sniper and Wild are two movies which actually portray an individual’s struggle with inner demons? Is Hollywood stumbling onto something going on out here in the rest of the country it is unaware of? While everyone is fighting over the question of whether American Sniper portrays the Iraq war ‘as it should be’ portrayed, maybe in spite of itself its actually about something completely different? Are the American people turning inward to fight their own demons, after so many years of outward focus. The Bob Davis Podcasts will keep track of current movies, characters and TV shows, to see if this pattern can be detected, and report back. Another thing no one is talking about is whether American Sniper touches something in Rural America,  that Urban America does not see, or understand. Particularly touching is the end credit sequence in American Sniper which shows the respect paid to Kyle – regardless of controversy – when he was laid to rest. As the news media is starting to cover this ‘divide’ between Rural and Urban America, of course we have to be careful of story lines … we are ALL Americans … but there are different values, and ‘Sniper’ seems to touch on the values of the rural part of our country rather than say, Manhattan. Get ready, the big snowstorm is hitting the east coast, so prepare yourselves for wall to wall coverage of Snowmageddon, the sequel. If you live in the Upper Midwest the weather has been pretty good the last ten days or so … anyone envious of the east for getting all this snow? And, an IRS story you won’t — er will — believe. Sponsored by Xgovernment Cars. 

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Podcast 285

Summer Sound. With the temperature several degrees below zero, and the snow blowing in the upper midwest, winter has set in. Just staying warm in a streak of sub zero weather can be a challenge physically. Eventually the cold starts to wear people’s spirits down. What can be more uplifting than summer? So, The Bob Davis Podcasts delivers a therapeutic dose of heat, humidity, sun, water, boats, fireworks, thunderstorms and a warm summer rain. Summer in the Upper Midwestern United States is the best in the world. What goes through the mind of a person in a deep freeze? Walking on grass barefoot? Weekends at the lake with friends and family? Boating? White clouds and blue sky? Walking through the forest, or searching through the brush for firewood? What about the sound of screen door? The wind through the trees. A bonfire? Of course the high point of summer is usually the Fourth of July, which means fireworks. Lots of fireworks. It always seems like the fireworks bring the the tornado sirens, thunder and the rain. Winter has its own kind of silent beauty, and Minnesotans know if you get out in it, you start to appreciate it. But, its strange how silent it can be in winter when you think about how loud the bugs actually are, all summer. Whether it is a walk through the short, velvet summer night, or sitting in a city park on a Saturday, the bugs are always present, as well as the birds. And a loon or two. And a barking dog. Sound from summer may depress you, or it may just get you through the tough parts. (Editor’s note: Obviously in putting this together, I listened to it a few times, and my mood is already improved!) A few years ago The Bob Davis Podcasts posted a summer sound podcast, using some older technology. This new summer sound podcast includes mostly new sounds as well as some of the old favorites from summer’s past, and uses newer technology so it sounds better. Get out a pair of headphones, find a chair, or lie down, turn up the volume and be enveloped by your old friend summer. Remember, it’s only five and a half months away! Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul and Depotstar. 

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Podcast 284

Polar Vortex 2015. Perhaps we should start off by saying, “Previously on Polar Vortex”. It happens just about every year around this time in the Upper Midwest. It gets real cold. We call it winter. A few weeks of below zero temperatures with little relief. It’s been colder. Where are the cavalcade of ‘economists’ (astrologists) predicting the inevitably dour economic effects of the ‘polar vortex’? Surprise! Now that a Republican majority is about to take office ‘economic experts’ are optimistic! Touting 5 percent GDP growth, lackluster employment statistics and a host of other debatable ‘facts’, some formerly doom and gloom analysts are finding  rose colored glasses not used since the Bush administration. As a new Congress is about to be sworn in, scolds to tell Republicans, “It’s time to govern”! Isn’t ‘governing’ something both parties and all branches of government engage in? Not just a majority and not just one branch of the government? Freedom Works has declared Speaker Boehner ‘must go’, and thus the factional battles in the new Congress begin. Freedom Works instructs you to write, call or email your congressman and demand the speaker be retired! (Editor’s Note: A waste of time, since interns answer the phones, review emails and open letters, even writing replies. If you want to get your congressman to pay attention to you, you have to control votes or money, and preferably both. If you want to write, call or email, go right ahead, but don’t fool yourself. Until you’re organized, you’re nothing to them.) Next we have the ‘Restore America’ crowd. ‘Restore’ in this case means turning back the hands of time to 1950, everywhere in America. Uh…no thanks, there were no smart phones. Want to bet this will be Jeb Bush’s campaign slogan in 2016? What America needs isn’t ‘restoration’, but new ideas that meet the challenges of new technology and a world that doesn’t look anything like 1950. Now there is one place in the world where it is, in fact, still 1950. North Korea. Here’s a question; What if the Sony Hack wasn’t the work of North Korea’s ‘army’ of hackers? The FBI’s contention – and the President’s – is under fire from tech security companies. If it wasn’t the North Koreans and the President ordered a retaliation, this could be the first major Obama Screw Up of 2015. Stay tuned. Back home in the land of ten thousand lakes, and taxes, Minnesotans should prepare themselves for a gas tax increase. Democratic Governor Dayton has decided that while cheap gas acts ‘like a tax cut’, it just isn’t expensive enough for the dancing peasants, so we need an increase in the gas tax. Or something like that. Minnesotans need new trains, and bike trails and bridges are falling down, right? Not really, but it works every time. Meanwhile, Kurt Daudt, Republican Speaker of The House says there will be “give and take” this session. Sigh. And a final parting shot at ‘morning people’ and their arrogance. Nocturnal People Rule! Sponsored by X Government Cars, and Depotstar.  

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